Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, member of parliament (MP) for Assin Central and head of the defence and interior committee of parliament, asserts that two candidates he recommended for formal recruitment in the Ghana Armed Forces were turned down.
He believed that this demonstrated a lack of concern for the party's base on the part of certain of the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) now-retired national officials.
In order to reassure the party's base that they have not been abandoned, he said that the party should take care of its members when they are in need.
He stated yesterday on Metro TV during voting, "I am a Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee, they requested me to present two procedures and the military rejected them." "What does protocol imply exactly? Protocol is used all around the world.
If Ken Agyapong has been rejected, how much more will these people (the grassroots) be? They ought to vote against them.
He claimed that the candidates he sent had the necessary academic credentials and shouldn't have been dismissed during the enlisting process.
"They declared the first and second to be ineligible since the first had a Business Administration (degree) and the second had degrees in Political Science and Sociology.
He said he was given the justification that they may have failed the medical examination.
"They should vote against them because that is the justification they use for failing the NPP. Vote against them if you don't care for the party's regular members.
"If they offer you money, take it; if they demand that you swear, do so. They won't come to you after the elections, so don't worry about anything, cut the money, and use your mind ".
No protocol recruiting, recall
In February of last year, Dominic Nitiwul, who was then the Defense Minister-designate, said that there was no protocol recruitment in the Ghanaian Armed Forces.
He said the Armed Forces have stringent measures and exams for potential recruits who would have to go through before they are qualified to join the army while speaking before Parliament's Appointment Committee screening.
He clarified that nobody could skew these exams or their outcomes in favour of a particular recruit.
"Especially for cadets, there are six phases that must be completed, none of which are under your control, including writing an exam at the University of Ghana.
"The same applies to recruitment. You cannot affect the selectors who roam the area choosing individuals, Mr. Nitiwul remarked.
The Minister-designate acknowledged that there has long been a notion among Ghanaians that selecting recruits for the army on the basis of procedure.
But he went on to say, "I can guarantee you that that is not a factual tale, and it is not conceivable at all."